Posted by
Christine Spencer on Wednesday, December 24, 2008
at
8:34 PM

If it's not yet obvious to you... the real reason for this season is you!

A celebration cloaked in myth and mystery could hint at your sublime heritage and divine destiny. You are life's prayer of becoming and its answer. The first light at the dawn of eternity, drawn from the ether, so that the Universe might know its depths, discover its heights, and frolic in endless seas of blessed emotion.

A pioneer into illusion, an adventurer into the unknown, and a lifter of veils. Courageous, heroic and exalted by billions in the unseen.

To give beyond reason. To care beyond hope. To love without limit. To reach, stretch, and dream, in spite of your fears. These are the hallmarks of divinity - traits of the immortal - your badges of honor. Wear them with a pride as great as the unspeakable pride we feel for you.

Your light has illuminated darkened paths, your gaze has lifted broken spirits, and already your life has changed the destiny of all who will ever follow.

"When you paint success pictures in your mind, you initiate an inner process whereby your attitudes, hopes, aspirations, and enthusiasm are elevated in response to an image of a more promising future. Every person who aspires must first sell themselves hope, the promise of a better life."

“When you arrive where you thought you wanted to be, you’ll just begin a new journey so enjoy each step along the way.” Wayne Dyer

“If we stay aware and acknowledge the great mystery that is this life, we will see that we have been perfectly placed in exactly the right position…to make all the difference in the world” James Redfield

“Whatever you can do or believe you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it” Goethe

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

“You will become as great as your dominant aspiration… If you cherish a vision, a lofty ideal in your heart, you will realize it.” James Allen

“Nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now and if the past cannot prevent you from being present now what power does it have?” Eckhart Tolle

“Whatever you think the world is withholding form you, you are withholding from the world.” Eckhart Tolle

"Deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting out more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself so valuable in your work that eventually you will become indispensable. Exercise your privilege to go the extra mile, and enjoy all the rewards you receive."

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.~ His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

Maintaining good relationships with other people is something everyone struggles with. The nature of the human mind is that there seem innumerable factors that make it difficult to get on with other people. If you find yourself with many problematic relationships don’t despair, but, try to work through difficulties and learn the art of developing genuine friendships.“A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity.” ~Robert Hall

Smile

When we smile we are effectively offering good will to the other person. A sincere smile can say more than 100 words. When we smile we are effectively saying that we are happy to see the other person; this is the best way to start any conversation. If we give a miserable face then we are outwardly indicating that we are unhappy to be speaking with this person. We convey alot through our body signals; within a moment the expression on someone’s face can put is in a good mood or bad mood. When we cultivate a positive first impression then any problem will be easier to solve. We can smile at everyone, not just people who we like. If we can smile, even at our ‘enemies’ then we may be surprised at how much our interactions are improved.

How do you know whether you’re on the right path, with the right person, or in the right job? The same you know when you’re not: You feel it. Each of us has a personal greatness- and because yours is as unique to you as your fingerprint, no one can tell you what it is.

Ignoring your passion is like betraying yourself.

Your life is speaking to you every day, all the time- and your job is to listen up and find the clues.

Passion whispers to you through your feelings , beckoning you towards your highest good. Pay attention to what makes you feel energized, connected, stimulated- what gives you your juice.

Do what you love, give it back in the form of service, and you will do more than succeed. You will triumph!

I had the great pleasure of being interviewed by fellow female entrepreneur & friend, Natalie MacNeil. Natalie is the founder of She Takes On The World and features the accomplishments of women entrepreneurs. I was honored and thrilled to be featured this week. Read the article here.

Natalie is the founder of She Takes On The World, the lifestyle and business blog for the modern entrepreneuse- Absolutely Brilliant! Very valuable information.

To stand in our own power we must be bold and confident and have the courage to stand up for ourselves. Standing in our own power demands that we be vulnerable, listen to our inner voice, and take risks outside our comfort of what we know.

Acting within your limitations, those “comfort zones”, is not risking and will produce predictably mediocre result.The “stopper” is fear and if you want to be in charge of your own life and what you create, then fear must be faced and you must act through it. It takes courage and commitment, nothing more and nothing lessIf you don’t feel fear and don’t need courage, it’s probably not a risk. You’re probably still in your comfort zone.

Written by the Greek author Plutarch:“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”

One of the questions I love to ask women is: “What are you excited about in this moment?”

Remember, you are a Divine expression –You have the power to create your life – a life of passion, purpose and peace, yielding you amazing prosperity in all areas of your life.

"It's the song in your heart that wants you to help make yourself a better person, and to help other people do the same. Everybody has one."– The late Mattie Stepanek

I have just been given this divine award that touches my essence deeply.

Maitri, as I have expressed before, You bring me unexpected moments of Happiness. Gratitude preserves old friendships, and procures new.“We cannot tell the exact moment a friendship is formed; as in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one that makes the heart run over.”

Thank you for your drops of kindness!

"If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, and real peace. If the love within your mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and confusion will ensue"His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I honored and grateful for this recognition thatMaitri, over at Maitri’s Heart has bestowed it upon me.

"I love you as you are, as you seek to find your own special way to relate to the world, or the way you feel that is right for you. It is important that you are the person you want to be and not someone that I or others think you should be."

1. Non - Judgemental. The heart is non judgemental, is doesn’t look for faults in others; the mind by contrast is always finding fault with everything.

2. Self giving. When we live in the heart we bring to the fore our self giving qualities; in self giving there is real happiness because we expand our sense of being. When we live in the mind, we tend to think - “what do I gain” “what’s in it for me” The mind is selfish, the heart is self-less. If we live just for ourselves happiness remains elusive; but in serving others there is an unexpected sense of fulfillment.

3. Spontaneous Joy. When I meditate, I always try to meditate on the silent heart; it is the heart that can give a sense of joy not dependent on achieving material things. We may get a limited happiness from material success and our mind; but if we want unlimited joy we have to use the power of the heart.

4. Kindness. The nature of the heart is to take a sympathetic view. The heart identifies with others; if we really identify with others as part of our extended self, how can we want to harm them? We will never regret being kind and sympathetic. Similarly we will never find happiness through being mean and selfish.

5. It brings forward the best in others. When we are critical and judgemental that is how people will approach us. But, if we are in the heart it brings forward the best qualities in others.*Posted by Tejvan Pettinger -

The more you develop the quality of gratitude in your life, you will start feeling grateful even when bad things happen to you, because you will have developed the inner vision to see that good things and bad happenings are nothing but experiences to shape you and make you stronger. Hence you will be able to have piece of mind no matter what the outer circumstances are.

To succeed we need to have a clear vision of what we wish to achieve; it is important to keep these aspirations in the forefront of our mind. We need to have a clarity of purpose and intent that will keep us focused. It is this belief and vision that will prevent us from being discouraged by critics and nay-sayers. The world can be a negative place; it is easier to disbelieve and criticise than it is to encourage people of vision. If you want to succeed and achieve something new, there will be an inevitable resistance from some parts of society. Success depends on a clarity of focus which prevents being deterred and held back by others.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.”

"Throughout all history, the great wise men and teachers, philosophers, and prophets have disagreed with one another on many different things. It is only on this one point that they are in complete and unanimous agreement. - We become what we think about."Earl Nightingale1921-1989, Author of "The Strangest Secret"

"A soul mate brings us enormous joy and fulfillment, but even more importantly, soul mates lead us into our life's lessons. They get under our skin and push our buttons. They inspire us to look at who we are and where we need to grow."– Kathy Freston,

Posted by
Christine Spencer on Wednesday, December 3, 2008
at
10:49 AM

Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself. You may be surprised at how easily this happens. Your doubts are not as powerful as your desires, unless you make them so.

Formula for Success

The winners in life know the rules of the game and have a plan. Whether you're looking to heal a relationship, get a new job, lose weight or find inner peace, consider these characteristics which Dr. Phil says are common to people who succeed.
Have a vision.Champions get what they want because they know what they want. They have a vision that keeps them motivated and efficiently on track. They see it, feel it, and experience it in their minds and hearts. What is success for you? You won't get there without knowing what it feels and looks like.
Make a strategy.People who consistently win have a clear and thoughtful strategy. They know what they need to do and when they need to do it. They write it down so they stay on course, and avoid any alternative that does not get them closer to the finish line.

Find a passion.Are you excited to get up in the morning? People with a passion are, and they're energized about what they are doing. You need to live and breathe what it is that you want, and be passionately invested in both the journey and the goal.
Live the truth.
People who consistently win have no room in their lives for denial, fantasy or fiction. They are self-critical rather than self-deluding, and they hold themselves to high but realistic standards. They deal with the truth, since they recognize that nothing else will make their vision obtainable.
Be flexible.Life is not a success-only journey. Even the best-laid plans sometimes must be altered and changed. Be open to input and consider any potentially viable alternative. Be willing to be wrong and be willing to start over.

Take risks.People who consistently win are willing to get out of their comfort zone and try new things. Be willing to plunge into the unknown if necessary, and leave behind the safe, unchallenging, and familiar existence in order to have more.
Create a strong nucleus.Surround yourself with a group of people who want you to succeed. They will move with you toward your goal. Choose and bond with people who have skills, talents and abilities that you do not. Winners give and receive by being part of other people's nuclear groups.
Take action.
Do it! People who succeed don't just sit and think about what they want to do. They take meaningful, purposeful, directional action consistently and persistently. Every step they take puts them toward the outcome they're looking for.
Set priorities.People who are consistent winners manage their challenges in hierarchical fashion. They commit to managing their time in such a way that does not allow them to spend time grinding along on priority number two or three if priority number one needs their attention.
Take care of yourself.People who consistently win are consciously committed to self-management. They are the most important resource they have in achieving their goals. They actively manage their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

1. Remember that your thoughts create your destiny. Recognize your own power to create your life.

2. Stop worrying. Often by worrying we feel like we are "doing" something about a problem when we aren't. When we worry we are in the past or in the future. By staying in the present we can actually problem-solve the situation as it actually exists.

3. Don't believe in defeat. Unexpected opportunities often come with what initially seem like negative outcomes or mistakes . Also, when you feel defeated, make a list of the factors that are supportive of you, rather than focusing on those that are against you.

4. Stop all those little negatives because they grow in to large ones. Use thought stopping and the steps toward changing your negative self-talk.

5. Name what is blocking your positive thoughts. What prevents you from thinking positive all the time?

6. Examine each of your core beliefs in terms of how it operates in your life. Make a commitment to yourself to eliminate the ones that cause you distress or problems.

7. Focus on the present. Your energy is drained by regretting the past and worrying about the future. Stay grounded in the here-and-now where it is easier to actually problem-solve the real situations.

8. When faced with a problem, focus on possible solutions and the resources that you do have. Brainstorm. What are the many options available, not just the black-and-white solutions or obvious ones?

10. Identify your personal definition of success. This helps you decide which path you want to take and to know when you have arrived at your goal. Your definition of success will be unique to you. No one else can define it for you.

11. Fill your life with positive supportive people. Allow their positive opinion of you in. Don't block them because their opinions do not fit your image of yourself. What is the worse thing that could happen if you thought positive thoughts about yourself? You might actually feel more energetic and motivated and have more fun!

12. Avoid draining your energy by focusing on the past and looking at mistakes that have already been made. Focus on the lesson learned and not on the mistake. What can you learn from the choice you made, whether it was a good choice or not?

14. When feeling overwhelmed by change, make a list of what is staying the same and what is not changing. What do you already know? What can you keep doing the same as before?

15. Acknowledge out loud your positive traits and successes. Question why it is considered conceited or arrogant to talk about what you do well.

16. Keep a gratitude journal. Each night before bed list three things that you are grateful for that day. Some days it may simply be that you are grateful that the day is finally over

17. Work at being content with who you are rather than pleasing others by wearing your social mask. When you wear a mask and try to be everything to everyone it can be exhausting. There is no space left for you. Also, I find that in order to please everyone I would have to keep switching masks for each new person because everyone will want something different.

18. Ask yourself: "How do I manufacture my own unhappiness?"

19. Keep asking yourself what is really important. In five years how much will this really matter?

20. Brainstorm a list of what makes you happy. Direct your attention to what pleases you. How can you allow or create more of this in your life?

21. Practice random acts of kindness.

22. Suspend judgment of yourself and others. Practice self-acceptance and acceptance of others. What does judging yourself or someone else achieve? Acceptance does not mean never changing. However, you cannot change what you don't recognize or accept you are doing.

23. Affirm and reaffirm your assets. List ten achievements you have obtained over the last 5 years. It could be finding a new job, taking a course, learning a new skill or changing your attitude.

24. Trust your intuition. Your intuition is that "gut feeling" or that hunch. It is your inner self speaking to you.

25. Create a home environment that is pleasing and nurturing to you.

26. Work at a job that energizes you.

27. Slow down. Learn to respond, rather than react.

28. Our own attitude is often what we see reflected in others. People in our lives act as mirrors to allow us to see ourselves more clearly. If you are surrounded by negative people, take a look at yourself. How might these people be a reflection of your own attitude? Similarly, as you become more positive you will attract more positive people to you. Initially though, as you become more positive the negative people in your life may escalate their negatively in order to try to pull you back in. Remember it is not your job to change them. Focus your energy on being more positive and creating more positive energy in your own life.

Which 5 of these suggestions will you commit to focusing on over the next 6 months?

"As we become curators of our own contentment on the Simple Abundance path, one of the great payoffs is that we start to seek peace and comfort in joyful simplicities. Little things begin to mean a lot to us."– Sarah Ban Breathnach

1. People aren’t always what they seem. Some have hidden agendas that you may never see until you have invested your time and energy into them, only to be disappointed.

2. Sometimes people can’t express love in the same way as you can and they are often thought of as not loving you. Understanding that everyone is different helps you to understand your own capacity to love and not put expectations on someone else to fulfill you.

3. Experience and maturity are two different things. Just because a person has achieved a certain age, does not mean they have achieved the same maturity.

4. When you are hurt, it is not the end of the world or the end of you ever being hurt. Embrace your hurt and embrace yourself. You can mitigate your hurt by not repeating the same lessons.

5. How you were born into this life may have influenced who you are, but you are responsible for who you become.

6. Success is not measured in monetary units, it is how you treat people in life and how you make them feel when you are in their presence. Kindness goes a long way

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."Albert Einstein 1879-1955, Physicist

Often the news of an impending economic recession is accompanied by an equally heavy mental recession - our minds shrink to thoughts of fear and uncertainty, and the days ahead seem filled with gloom. It need not be like this, and in fact we are only making the situation worse for ourselves by becoming more depressed.

The worry in yourself serves no purpose and it doesn't bring about change.

Whatever you fight will strengthen and whatever you resists persists!
By opposing -physics- polarity- gains strength.
Remember, action comes out of presence (state of consciousness). Action is much more powerful when it comes from presence.

The primary thing in your life is the NOW, the present. There is never anything else!

Brilliant Quotes:

“Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.”
Karl Augustus Menninger

“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear.”
Mahatma Gandhi

“I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.”
Frank Herbert

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

“When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie

“Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.”
Swedish proverb

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.
Helen Keller

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature…. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
Helen Keller

“Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.”
James Stephens

“Who sees all beings in his own self, and his own self in all beings, loses all fear.”
Isa Upanishad, Hindu Scripture

Posted by
Christine Spencer on Saturday, November 22, 2008
at
11:14 AM

"You create your thoughts, and your thoughts create your life. Do you like what you have created? Comtemplate yourself each day and you will unravel the mystery of not only what you are but who you are." -- Ron Rathbun

Each day, I promise myself not to try to solve all my life problems atonce -- nor shall I expect you to do so;

Starting each day, I shall try to learn something new about me and about you and about the world I live in, so that I may continue toexperience all things as if they had been newly born;

Starting each day, I shall remember to communicate my joy as well asmy despair, so that we can know each other better;

Starting each day, I shall remind myself to really listen to you andto try to hear your point of view and to discover theleast-threatening way of giving you mine, remembering that we are bothgrowing and changing in a hundred different ways;

Starting each day, I shall remind myself that I am a human being andnot demand perfection of you until I am perfect, so you're safe;

Starting each day, I shall try to be more aware of the beautifulthings in our world -- I'll look at the flowers, I'll look at the birds, I'll look at the children, I'll feel the cool breezes, I'll eatgood food -- and I'll share these things with you;

Starting each day, I shall remind myself to reach out and touch you,gently, with my words, my eyes and with my fingers, because I don't want to miss feeling you;

Starting each day, I shall dedicate myself again to the process ofbeing a lover -- and then see what happens;You know, I'm really convinced that if you were to define love, the only word big enough to engulf it all would be "Life" -- LOVE IS LIFE-- in all its aspects ... And if you miss love, you miss life

In a recent Today Show interview, Tony Robbins speaks about fear, how society is facing situations (war, economic turmoil) that many people have never had to deal with in this generation, and the need to condition our emotions to deal with such situations effectively.

Fear is a reactive mechanism that operates when our identity is threatenedHow do we experience fear without crumbling into reaction? Sit with attention in the experience of fear, and you become aware of the feeling itself and how it resonates with other areas of life.

The task is to take the structure apart, dismantle the projections, and know fear directly as it is, a movement of emotional energy. First, identify a reactive behavior and repeatedly ask, "Why am I doing this?" Cut through the layers of projection or suppression until you arrive at "I don't know." Right there you will be experiencing an emotion. Ordinarily, we do not experience feelings because we either act on them and the energy goes into the action, or we suppress them and the energy goes into the body.

Stop doing the reactive activity.

Enter into it and be the feeling. Being the feeling is different from being with the feeling. When you can be the feeling and know its nature simultaneously, the feeling no longer has any power over you.

Instead of reacting to fear with hatred, discrimination, or confusion, we live in awareness, not looking to the past or the future for meaning or motivation, but responding precisely and appropriately to imbalance and the needs of the present.

As Tony Robbins is fond of saying, “without a vision people perish.”

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

~ Confucius

The difference between those who succeed and those who fail isn’t what they have—it’s what they choose to see and do with their resources and their expertise of life.

~ Anthony Robbins

Remember that life develops what it demands - the toughest path creates the strongest warrior. Pray not for a lighter load, but for stronger shoulders.

"Dependent people need others to get what they want. Independent people can get what they want through their own efforts. Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success." ~ Stephen Covey

Law of Karma ... Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind . . . What we sow is what we reap. And when we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, the fruit of our karma is happiness and success.

I will put the Law of Karma into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

1. Today I will witness the choices I make in each moment. And in the mere witnessing of these choices, I will bring them to my conscious awareness. I will know that the best way to prepare for any moment in the future is to be fully conscious in the present.

2. Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: What are the consequences of this choice that I'm making? And will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?

3. I will then ask my heart for guidance and be guided by its message of comfort or discomfort. If the choice feels comfortable, I will plunge ahead with abandon. If the choice feels uncomfortable, I will pause and see the consequences of my action with my inner vision. This guidance will enable me to make spontaneously correct choices for myself and for all those around me.

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Alan Cohen:

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Aristotle:

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

"Every second we choose to nourish ourselves in a way that supports or depletes our lives, and to think and speak about other people in a way that is honoring or dishonoring. What choice are you going to make today."

“Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happinessand the progressive realization of worthy goals.Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease.“- Deepak Chopra

Success is a topic I’ve spent many hours pondering and I’ve come to realize that it is so much more than just material wealth. Material wealth is only a small portion of your collective success potential. It is an experience as part of our journey as spiritual beings and yes, material wealth may make this journey more comfortable, but let’s not neglect the other dimensions of success: the success of sound physical health, fulfilling relationships, meaningful friendships, joy of self-expression, freedom from fear, the capacity to understand people and self-mastery.

In Deepak Chopra’s book, “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success“, he gives us a spiritual look at success. You can have an extensive look at each law in his book, which goes into extensive detail. Here are the seven laws along with an example application found in the book:

1. The Law of Pure Potentiality

“The source of all creation is pureconsciousness… pure potentiality seeking expression fromthe unmanifest to the manifest.And when we realize that ourtrue Self is one of pure potentiality,we align with the power that manifests everything in the universe.“

Example Application:•‘I will practice non-judgment. I will begin my day with the statement, “Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs,” and throughout the day I will remind myself not to judge.’

2. The Law of Giving

“The universe operates through dynamic exchange…giving and receiving are different aspects ofthe flow of energy in the universe.And in our willingness to give that which we seek,we keep the abundance ofthe universe circulating in our lives.“

Example Application:•‘Wherever I go, and whoever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Today, I will give something to everyone I come into contact with, and so I will begin the process of circulating joy, wealth and affluence in my life and in the lives of others.’

•‘I will make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in my life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.’

3. The Law of Cause and Effect

“Every action generates a force of energythat returns to us in like kind . .what we sow is what we reap.And when we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others,the fruit of our karma is happiness and success.”

Example Application:•‘Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: “What are the consequences of this choice that I’m making?” and “Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?”‘4. The Law of Least Effort

“Nature’s intelligence functions with effortless ease . . .with carefreeness, harmony, and love.And when we harness the forces of harmony, joy, and love,we create success and good fortune with effortless ease.“

Example Application:•‘I will practice acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.’

•‘Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view. I will feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them.’

5. The Law of Intention and Desire

“Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment . . .Intention and desire in the field of pure potentialityhave infinite organizing power.And when we introduce an intention inthe fertile ground of pure potentiality,we put this infinite organizing power to work for us.“

Example Application:•“I will make a list of all my desires. I will carry this list with me wherever I go. I will look at this list before I go into my silence and meditation. I will look at it before I go to sleep at night. I will look at it when I wake up in the morning.”

6. The Law of Detachment

“In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty . . .in the wisdom of uncertainty list the freedomfrom our past, from the known,which is the prison of past conditioning.And in our willingness to step into theunknown, the field of all possibilities,we surrender ourselves to the creative mindthat orchestrates the dance of the universe.“

Example Application:•“Today I will commit myself to detachment. I will allow myself and those around me the freedom to be as they are. I will not rigidly impose my idea of how things should be. I will not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. I will participate in everything with detachment involvement.”

7. The Law of Purpose in Life

“Everyone has a purpose in life . . . a uniquegift or special talent to give to others.And when we blend this unique talent with service to others,we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit,which is the ultimate goal of all goals.“

Example Application:•‘I will make a list of my unique talents. Then I will list all the things that I love to do while expressing my unique talents. When I express my unique talents and use them in the service of humanity, I lose track of time and create abundance in my life as well in the lives of others.’

•‘I will ask myself daily, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” The answers to these questions will allow me to help and serve my fellow human beings with love.’

“Twenty years from now you will be
more disappointed by the things
you didn't do than by the
ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~Mark Twain

Sometimes it is good to look at life from a different perspective and offer ourselves challenges. Challenges don’t have to be physical challenges of running a marathon or climbing a mountain. These questions test our inner attitude to life; it tests how much we hang onto our ego and how much we can be liberated from the confines of the mind. They are not necessarily easy to do, but, it is an interesting experience and offers a different perspective on life.

"Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other. It embraces judgment, discernment, comprehension. It is a gestalt or oneness, and integrated wholeness.”

Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.Charlie Parker

"Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Martin Luther King Jr., Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963

A leader brings out the best in his people

Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves.
Lao Tzu

We need men who can dream of things that never were.
John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)

The word ‘love’ is perhaps one of the most casually used terms in the English language - so much so that it has become an umbrella term for a whole variety of very different emotions! There is one thing we all agree on - that love is what makes the world go round, and that without it, the world is but a dry empty shell of a place. On the other hand, it is a word we very easily twist around to our own purposes to justify our emotional dependence on a person. If we can learn to distinguish love from emotional dependence and put this distinction into practice, then we make life more beautiful not only for us, but for everyone we come into contact with.

Learn to love yourself firstOur remedies oft in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to heaven.~William ShakespeareUse the heartThere is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fiber of life, the flame of that heats our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives. It is our connection to God and to each other.- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Don’t expectWhen your love is pure or spiritual, there is no demand, no expectation. There is only the sweetest feeling of spontaneous oneness with the human being or beings concerned.”- Sri Chinmoy

Learn to let goSome of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.- Hermann Hesse

The inner strength: patience and forgiveness “Patience serves as a protection against wrong as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you.”- Leonardo Da Vinci

This world of ours can seem like a downright unfair place at times, but developing this quality of love for everyone you meet allows you to rise above ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ that people might throw at you and still keep your faith in humanity intact.

Often the news of an impending economic recession is accompanied by an equally heavy mental recession - our minds shrink to thoughts of fear and uncertainty, and the days ahead seem filled with gloom. It need not be like this, and in fact we are only making the situation worse for ourselves by becoming more depressed. Here are a few pointers for facing financial hard times with poise and calmness:Focus on the here and now

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

The desires for the basic necessities of life can be satisfied, whereas the selfish desires of the ego can never be allayed. These do not spring from the chemistry of the body but are purely mental constructions—to be more and more, to have more and more: money, possessions, power, prestige, love; to outstrip and outshine all others; to be supreme. It is an impossible dream which, if realized, would not bring in its train either peace or happiness. The greedy, the jealous, the envious can never be satisfied because their dissatisfaction and unhappiness do not spring from any real deprivation of the essentials of life, but from the defects and distortions within their character.~Mettá~

“Patience serves as a protection against wrong as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you.” - Leonardo Da Vinci

To develop love, we also have develop forgiveness and patience. To forgive someone, it helps to see beyond their surface imperfections and appreciate the beauty that lies deep within. Love always goes hand in hand with this recognition of inner beauty inside a person, and when we can see this inner beauty in a person and appreciate it, we help bring that beauty to the fore and perhaps prevent whatever unfortunate thing that person might have done from occurring again.

This world of ours can seem like a downright unfair place at times, but developing this quality of love for everyone you meet allows you to rise above ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ that people might throw at you and still keep your faith in humanity intact.

It takes the balance of time and perseverance to find the work and life of your dreams.

Here are some characteristics to cultivate that will support you:

VISION ~ great clarity about what you want. Describe your vision in detail and visualize yourself in your new condition. The more you do this, the more possible , even probable, it seems that you will get there.

STRONG INTENTION~ determination to get what you want. Pursue your goals when you are thinking, writing, talking, exploring, reading and being, as well as in your actions. Be resolute that you will achieve your objectives. Be committed.
UNWAVERING BELIEF~ a belief so strong that it stands up against challenges. Other people, sometimes believing they are being helpful try to persuade us to be realistic, meaning that we shouldn't aim too high. Successful people keep their goals high and their expectations inline. People may tell us we are being a dreamer. Successful people are practical dreamers. They have dreams, and they figure out how to make them come true

ACTION APPROACH~ know what you need to do and do it. If a person wants to drive a car, he gets behind the wheel. To dance, he moves his feet to the rhythm. To find a new job, career or better skills, he researches his options, decides on a plan and implements it. Everything requires movement. Move towards your goals, one step at a time.
FOCUS~ stay on course. Don't stop on the way or get sidetracked by fear or the myriad other things that hold one back. Even the best get waylaid now and then, but those who are sure of the path they are on don't let themselves procrastinate for long. Pick one thing you can do, today.

FAITH~ truly believe you can do it. Know it is just a matter of time. If things don't work as fast as you would like, if something goes wrong , if you get unavoidably sidetracked, trust with a deep knowing that you can and will achieve your goals. Don't let the truth of your current reality stop you.
"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence" –Aristotle

Often we have a rather fixed concept of ourselves and how we would like others to perceive us. Hence, it’s a pretty painful experience when you are suddenly confronted with some unsavory aspect of your nature, and it’s doubly painful when it’s exposed for all to see. Some of us become resigned to saying ‘that’s just the way I am’ and claiming their weakness almost as a badge of identity, whereas others go to the opposite extreme, mentally flagellating themselves for every misstep they make in life.

Is there a middle path between these two extremes? Can you really overcome your weaknesses? From the changes I have seen in my life, and also from watching the lives of many of my friends who in one form or another have committed themselves to truly living at their fullest potential, I can definitely say yes to that one. And like many other things, it’s a question of how you do it. Here are a few observations:Thinking about your weakness only gives it strength

When we hate other people, what happens? The thought of them pervades our mental space, and end up unconsciously guiding our emotions and actions. Similarly, forever thinking of how bad your weaknesses are give them power over you, and make you feel helpless in the face of them. It is better to always keep an attitude of pragmatism - the bad thing you did in the past cannot be changed now, but you can always work on avoiding a repeat in the future.Self-acceptance

We often set unrealistic ideas of the person we should be, and a newly-discovered weakness often causes us pain because it jarringly conflicts with this idea. The first step in overcoming weaknesses is to lose these unrealistic ideas and accept yourself for who you are. By accepting yourself, warts and all, you are not giving up. No, it is in fact a realistic assessment of where you stand now in your life. Once you have learned to accept and love yourself for who you truly are, you can then work on the journey of self-improvement. You are not your problems

When we are confronted with a particular weakness, it tends to crowd our mind that we feel that they are the sum total of what we are! This is absolutely not true. If a cloud temporarily covers the sun, it does not mean that the sun does not exist. Your problems are not ‘you’, they are merely temporary limitations and bad habits obstructing your true nature, and as such, can always be unlearned and transformed.

Focus on increasing the opposite quality

It is always a much more rewarding task to increase positive qualities than reduce negative ones. If you lose your temper easily, you can focus on increasing your inner calmness. If you are prone to criticize others, try and increase the number of good things you see in everyone you meet. Working on positive goals turns the situation around from a struggle with ‘the enemy within’ to a process of inner growth and blossoming.

Never give up

The process of human improvement is not like instant coffee, or a miracle pill. There are ups, there are downs, and there are times you wonder if you are any better than when you started. Yet bear in mind that anything we did that ever brought us a feeling of joy and satisfaction, only came because we committed to it and saw it through to the end.